Jin Kazama enters Mortal Kombat
by Crush48
Summary: Jin Kazama did not die in conclusion with his fight against Azazel, nor was he found by the Ninja agent, Raven. Instead he was transported to a space between realms in a form of limbo as a result of the fight's backlash. This backlash has drawn the attention of Raiden, who believes that Jin may be a valuable asset in finally destroying the Elder God, Shinnok, for good.
1. Chapter 1

It was a strange experience. The statement is heavy, considering what he last remembered had transpired. The first memory he was able to pull to the forefront of his consciousness, or rather, subconscious, was the duel with Azazel.

He wasn't sure if he was awake. Nothing seemed grounded in reality. Everything was a blank and vast openness that spanned out in infinite length. He wasn't sure if his eyes were closed or open, but he assumed the former, since he could even see this vast expanse of white nothing.

But he forced his thoughts to center back onto his latest memory, lest he possibly lose himself in whatever limbo this was. Azazel. The demon that he had fought, and _defeated, _he was sure of that. After the final punch, when he thrust his own fist into the demon's chest, destroying it, he began to black out almost immediately and felt as if an energy was leaving him.

Perhaps he was dead. That would explain this strange and ethereal environment, where he felt awake yet unconnected from everything.

Jin Kazama looked around at his surroundings, as pointless as it seemed, realizing that there was no sense of real gravity where he was standing, or lying down. He couldn't tell. On a whim, he stuck out his hands, focusing on them, before his frame of reference seemed to shift, and suddenly, he was standing upright for some unexplainable reason.

_I thought death would be less...lonely as this,_ Jin observed silently, as he silently scanned for anything that might stick out amongst the blank space everywhere. Loneliness was something he was not foreign to, as he had to learn to embrace it to ultimately face what cursed the Mishima bloodline. But nonetheless, the prospect of being here forever left a dreadful feeling in his gut. He might go insane if he were to spend the rest of his...afterlife here for eternity.

"You are not yet deceased, if that is your line of thinking."

The spiky haired youth's face snapped to the left and then he pivoted to look behind him, finally spotting another individual besides him. Jin did not know who he was, but the stranger in his subconscious exuded a quiet authority coupled with his mysterious appearance. The wide brimmed straw hat dimly reminded him of a Manji clan Samurai that he'd crossed paths with once or twice.

"Who are you?" he asked the robed man after a pregnant pause. He almost had forgotten that he had spoken in the first place, as taken aback as he was at seeing anyone else here.

"I am Raiden. A Martial Artist like yourself," the visitor replied, raising his head just enough to see the bottom edges of what was apparently, brightly glowing eyes. and unnaturally white hair.

The man had not deigned to elaborate, his hands remaining folded behind his back. Kazama studied him briefly, this Raiden wearing what looked particularly plain and common to many Chinese monks, save for ornate and detailed greaves that seemed to be fashioned out of solid gold that protected his shins.

"I am Jin Kazama," the younger man replied evenly, not divulging any more info than Raiden had. "This is not the afterlife?" He added in inquiry to Raiden's earlier statement. The warrior across from him nodded slowly.

"This is a pocket realm, disconnected, yet inextricably tied to both Chaos and Order realms."

Jin could only understand the gist of what he was saying. Apparently, they were currently in some pocket dimension of a sort.

"You do not seem surprised..." Raiden analyzed, having watched Jin's expression carefully.

"I have experienced much," Jin replied nearly as cryptically, provoking a half smile from the other man. Raiden then unfolded his hands only to fold his arms in front of him.

"That is why I have approached you," he began, beginning to walk and slowly pace back and forth, analyzing something non existent on the transparent ground beneath him. "Your appearance here has been caused by a great conflict in Earthrealm. I don't know who or what it was that you destroyed, but remnants of Shinnok's dispersing essence could be felt through meditation."

Jin's eyes narrowed in thought as he processed what he was hearing. Earthrealm? Shinnok? He assumed he was talking about Earth. And who or what was this Shinnok?

Jin stepped forward, drawing Raiden's attention back to him. "Are you saying Azazel had a master?" If this was true, then that would mean Jin's duty was not yet finished. He needed to destroy this curse at it's source, completely. As an afterthought, he looked at his left arm, noticing that the damned tattoo was still present there. Did that mean the curse _wasn't _lifted? Was he forever doomed to have an evil blood running through his veins?

"I am unfamiliar with that name," Raiden admitted after some time. "However, it may be that this Azazel was in league or somehow affiliated with Shinnok. With your permission, I'd like to take you somewhere after returning you home." Raiden's head was raised at this point, and Jin could clearly see the electric energy running through Raiden's eyes, making them look nearly as blank and pupil-less as the environment they stood in.

Jin had nothing to lose. The alternative was being stuck here, and it was safe to assume that this wasn't the inside of his own mind.

He nodded his head once.


	2. Chapter 2

The sensation that followed next was surprisingly familiar. Once the portal opened, courtesy of Raiden after he made some deliberate arm movements, the Thunder God wasted no time in passing through. Jin examined the portal for only half a second before quickly following suit, not wanting to inadvertently test how much longer the passage would hold.

As the destination on the other side was unseen, so was where he once was after stepping through what felt like a film of cold water, the feeling leaving almost immediately. Now he stood in what was the parking lot, adjacent to the Mishima Zaibatsu office. The office was a rather massive building compared to the rest of the city block.

He wasn't sure how long he had been in that pocket dimension, and did not feel up to asking Raiden, who stood next to him. It could have been mere days to as long as months since his battle with Azazel. He figured it might have been at least weeks. The city looked as if war never touched it. Were the military still searching for him? G Corporation? What of his father's whereabouts?

Jin was idly surveying the area when Raiden had begun to speak.

"If you wish to contact me-"

"Wait," Jin interrupted, training his eyes onto the Thunder God. Raiden waited for Kazama to elaborate, not having spoken another word. "I can go with you now. Allow me to get some belongings."

Raiden nodded once in agreement. "I shall wait here, then."

Jin wasted no time, quickly strolling through the front entrance of the Mishima Zaibatsu building. He was still wearing his Martial Arts uniform which consisted of his hand and feet gear, his stylized Karate pants, and black belt. The receptionist belatedly noticed his presence as he made his way to the elevator without a second glance. Once the lift's doors closed, he examined his shoulder once again, showing visible distaste at the still remaining tattoo. At the edge of his consciousness, he could tell that there was a connection still there to the Devil Gene. So it was true then that Jin had to kill this Shinnok individual.

Even after the rather long ride to the top floor, questions still ran through the young man's mind, most of it concerning this new lead to the breaking of the Devil curse and what this meant to him. The Elevator's doors opened accompanied by a bell-like sound allowing entry into the CEO office.

It was as he remembered it, with it's streamlined walls and the large desk that overlooked the large window showing a wide view of the city.

He wouldn't have time to focus on the sights as he had things to do. First, he neared the desk, opening the top left drawer, pulling out a photo that could fit within his palm. He pocketed the object before making his way to a closet adjacent to the elevator lift. Sliding the cover to the side, it revealed a single strap backpack, the same pack he had taken with him when he had first visited Australia to train for the 4th King Of Iron Fist Tournament. The pack was in mint condition, not looking a day older than back then.

He picked it up with one hand, slinging it over his shoulder as he quickly backtracked to the elevator.

Once he returned to Ground Floor, he was intercepted by the receptionist he had walked past earlier. She had a hand raised even as she was standing, as if trying not to be overbearing with her presence.

"Sir, is that really...is that really you?" She hesitated, trailing behind him even as he continued to walk towards the exit. Jin suddenly stopped walking, turning his head slightly to regard her, which caused her to nearly jump.

"I was never here," he asserted calmly before continuing on his way. The receptionist stared after his retreating form, uncertain of what to make of his sudden appearance then subsequent disappearance.

Jin returned to the spot by the parking lot, backpack slung across his shoulder and came to a stop in front of Raiden, who was waiting patiently with his hands folded behind him.

"I'm ready," Jin announced with a nod.

"Very well," Raiden replied with an incline of his own head. "Before we travel there, I must be sure this is something you want to do. It may be some time before you can return. Are you okay with this?" he asked of him, glancing sidelong at the Kazama. Jin nodded once, almost immediately and with confidence.

"This is something I must do," he answered briefly, fingering the photo in his pocket.

_'I will bring this to a resolution,' _he silently declared in promise.

* * *

The travel from what Raiden described as 'Earthrealm' to their new location was similar to when he was guided from the pocket dimension to Earth. The new landscape he found himself in was a complete opposite to the bustling city that he stood in only moments ago. The surroundings here were filled with an expanse of trees and Jin could see that they stood on a platform that overlooked a large river, surrounded by a bank and forest that stretched off to some unknown distance. There were patches of grass and many mountains and cliff faces both near and far. What stood out the most was the large establishment reminiscent of a temple, surrounded by statues in almost pristine condition. The building was huge, it's aesthetic only rivaled by the intricate set of doors that would lead inside the temple, it's surface engraved with the likeness of a dragon.

This world the temple was located was what Raiden called 'Outworld'.

Much of it just looked like what could be a remote part of Earth, but something about the landscape seemed _off. _For one, some of the plants he'd seen as he looked around didn't appear to be of Earth origin. Some trees grew in strange shapes and the fauna looked somewhat alien in places, but seemed to fit right in from where he stood.

"So," Jin started, studying the temple that lie ahead of them. "Who is this _Shinnok_, and how do I defeat him?"

Raiden raised his hand in a universal sign of pleading for patience before nodding towards the temple.

"I will reveal what I know to you, today, but please allow yourself to get settled in. What I have to say is...quite the handful," he answered seriously. "Let me tell you as we walk," he continued, as he led the way to the temple entrance. Jin followed behind.

"Shinnok is an Elder God, or formerly was one. The Elder Gods are essentially overseers of all realms, including your Earth Realm."

Jin scratched the back of his neck, thinking over his words. "Why didn't these _Elder Gods_ do anything about Azazel?" he interrogated, not fully buying the concept of a God overseeing Earth, especially in light of recent events.

Raiden sighed as they continued to walk towards the temple, his head hanging low almost as if he personally felt guilty. "They rarely act unless it threatens the realms in...specific ways," he said deliberately, almost sounding unsatisfied with his own answer but did not clarify. Jin said nothing, only studying the ground as he took in everything that Raiden said.

"There are several more warriors from Earth Realm that are also here to assist in stopping Shinnok," Raiden announced as he opened the doors.

The interior of the temple looked quite homely and reminded Jin of the time spent with his mother in childhood. Much of the furniture consisted of wood and the sources of light came mainly from overhanging lanterns or brightly lit candles. The floor was carpeted, a small relief to Jin's feet, as he had yet to change into the shoes he'd brought with him. The commons room was not empty though, as there were two people seated.

A man with sunglasses and hair that looked somewhat windswept but kept under control, wearing a military vest and cargo pants. Across from him was a blonde haired woman wearing a similar vest along with gloves that seemed quite hi-tech. When the door had opened, both of them had stood up, turning their attention to the visitors.

The somewhat peaceful atmosphere was shattered when the woman pulled a gun from her holster, pointing it straight at Jin.

"Woah, woah," Johnny pleaded, caught off guard by Sonya's sudden hostility towards the new guy. "Easy, Major. What's gotten into you?" he pried, holding his arm out between Kazama and Sonya, hoping she didn't do anything stupid.

"What the _hell _are you doing here?" She demanded of Jin after glancing momentarily at Johnny.

Jin didn't answer, making Sonya narrow here eyes in warning.

"Peace, Sonya," Raiden insisted, stepping forward. "I brought him here, to assist us."

Sonya hesitated momentarily before sighing tiredly, taking her aim away from Jin and holstering her gun.

"Okay..." Johnny observed. "There's only one guy that I know would make you freak out like that, and this ain't him." He crossed his arms in front of him, waiting for an explanation from the Special Forces Major.

"Do you not watch the news?" Sonya retorted, raising her arms then dropping them almost immediately as if giving up. "This is the Zaibatsu CEO, Jin Kazama," she declared, pointing rudely at said individual, who exhaled in annoyance, folding his arms in front of him. "He's the guy that almost started a World War III, remember?"

"Never heard of it," Johnny deadpanned, earning a glare from Sonya, who rolled her eyes. The former TV star shrugged helplessly. Why was she so upset?

"Raiden, what's he doing here?" She asked, tiredness in her voice, but with much more respect than when she addressed Jin directly.

"I'm here to stop Shinnok," Jin cut in before anything else could be said. Hoping to avoid more dialogue and possibly a confrontation, he began to walk towards a hallway to look for an unoccupied room.

"So, your name's Jin, huh?" Johnny asked, sticking his hand out in greeting to the younger man, who walked right past him without acknowledging. Johnny turned to regard Sonya with an expectant expression on his face.

"What?"

Raiden lightly shook his head, deciding he'd seek out Jin after he'd had time to cool off.


	3. Chapter 3

It was just before dawn when Kazama had awoken, planning to scout the general area outside the temple. He had quickly changed into his clothing that he'd brought with him from his pack, a hooded jacket and pants that were made for both casual wear and strenuous exercise. The sneakers he'd brought with him as well were enforced, insuring that they wouldn't wear out quickly. He'd exited his room, moving with purpose but quietly, so as not to disturb the other two residents he'd met the day previous. To his mild surprise, Raiden was already outside, just ahead of the doors with his back to Jin, as he studied the skies for some unknown reason.

After a short walk, he came to a stop just short of the Thunder God at a respectful distance.

"You don't sleep?" Jin asked idly, turning his gaze towards the skies, wondering what it was Raiden was looking at.

Raiden's form didn't seem to move when he spoke, nor did he sound physically exhausted.

"My way of rest is somewhat different from mortals," he answered good naturedly, having turned his head slightly to regard the only awake human. "Is there something on your mind..?" he ventured, encouraging Jin to speak without forcing it.

"I need more information on Shinnok," he responded, glancing at the older man, but looking away almost unintentionally after noticing Raiden's eyes were on him. He figured he'd have to get used to talking to someone who constantly looked like they were staring right through you. "I need to know his connection to the devil gene," he added, once again looking at the Thunder God. "I want this to finally end."

"Hm," Raiden acknowledged, nodding almost imperceptibly. While Jin would learn more about Shinnok's connection to his curse, this would also aid Raiden in learning about the Devil Gene itself. This was the first time he's heard of a mortal having been affected by Shinnok's influence without being corrupted in any visible fashion. The only hint seemed to be the tattoo on Jin's arm that the Elder God noticed he would glance at rarely.

"The Outworld Palace will have the information you seek," he began. "However, Outworld's capital is extremely dangerous to the uninformed. I would insist that you bring one of the others to accompany you," he concluded, nodding towards the entrance of the temple.

"Sonya Blade doesn't trust me," Jin deadpanned. He folded his arms in front of him, thoughts of his mother and the events that led up to this day returning to the forefront of his mind. Either way, he did not want to have to rely on others more than necessary. For him, it would be too distracting, nevermind the fact that Sonya reminded him too much of Nina in appearance.

Raiden studied his face momentarily before seemingly relenting.

"Very well, I acquiesce to your judgement," he agreed, looking towards the ground for but a second before procuring something within the folds of his robe. An almost hexagonally shaped object with a flat surface rested in his palm which he offered to Jin, who took the device into his hand, studying it carefully, intrigued by it's seemingly alien, but archaic design.

"In the case of an emergency or when you are ready to return, use this to contact me. I will send aid," he instructed, before nodding his head in farewell. He dropped into a horse stance, and lightning seemed to draw from the sky and careen towards his arms, which he pointed forward before moving his arms apart as if prying open a door. The electricity followed suit, perforating the air in front of the both of them, and a pathway into Outworld's marketplace formed. The scenery on the other side of the portal was as clear as day, but no sound seemed to pierce through the film like portal.

"The palace can be easily spotted. Seek permission to their library and you will find what you seek," Raiden explained, still in his stance, a steady flow of lightning ejecting from his fingers and lining the portal's perimeter.

"You are not able to come as well?" Jin inquired, looking towards the strange man.

"This is something I cannot directly interfere with, but I will aid you if needed," he clarified. Jin nodded and stepped through, not wishing to impose too long.

Raiden nodded once more from the other side before it closed, vanishing and leaving no trace of it ever being there, while the sounds of the marketplace suddenly reached his ears and drowned out any other noise.

He drew no attention as he apparently was in an alleyway, that would lead into the bustling marketplace. On either side of the road that the ally intersected with were stalls, containing wares ranging from foods to clothing, to weapons, and anything in between. There were people everywhere, almost every other being not looking entirely human. Some vendors looked like horned demons straight out of a bedtime story, some had discolored skin, others had more than two arms, and even some looked like they would fit right in on Earth. There were what looked like guards stationed at different locations, overseeing the chaos of the marketplace. As wild as the place seemed, their didn't seem to be any hint of violence breaking out anywhere.

Taking a deep breath, Jin stepped out of the alleyway and into the street, trying his best to not draw attention to himself. He made it his business to walk near large groups of people so as not to seem like he was alone and kept his sight ahead of him and at the buildings he'd passed, looking out for the Palace that Raiden mentioned.

Many of the buildings looked quite strange, towering and spaced out, forming into spires the higher he looked. He had yet to see a building that 'stood out' more than what he'd seen so far.

As he walked down the busy road, he carefully avoided bumping into travelers walking in opposite directions while following a large group of what looked like trained fighters. All of them were bald, giving the impression they were monks of some sort. He paid them no mind, but kept near enough to them where he could easily keep them in sight.

Unbeknownst to Jin, however, some of that group's members were tipped off to his presence after noticing he was trailing them after several turns. One member of the crew glanced backwards without being seen by the man, his feral looking eyes narrowing somewhat, a guttural sound escaping his throat, his face revealing a large mouth with jagged, somewhat elongated teeth.

Jin continued to watch for any change in building architecture, and was almost tempted to try looking in a different direction before finally noticing that a much more massive building became more visible as he continued to walk.

"That must be it," Jin mouthed to himself, stepping in the direction of the huge establishment. The steps were in sight, the color of dust that looked much like the ground he and the populace of the marketplace walked on, leading upward into a grand double door the color of black marble and bordered on either side by a large torch, much taller than him, planted into the surface.

Before he could make any progress though, he bumped into someone, the mass of muscle in front of him nearly causing him to fall on his rear.

He realized these were the same people he'd been tailing for the past several minutes, except from the front, they didn't look very human. The skin on their forearms seemed to protrude somewhat, as if hiding something within the flesh, but what caught his attention the most, was their visage. Their jaws seemed locked in an eternal grin of a sort, housing teeth that looked more at home on a shark than a humanoid creature.

"Excuse me," Jin said politely with a nod, hoping to relieve any tension that he might have accidentally sparked. He made to walk around the demonic looking man, but he sidestepped, causing Jin to bump into him again. He was able to prevent himself from nearly falling over this time.

"You were following us," the toothy man growled, his voice scratchy but nearly baritone all at the same time.

Jin opened his mouth to speak, hoping to carefully consider his own words. This man appeared to be looking for a fight, especially since several more men that looked like the one who currently spoke began to close in and surround him.

"I don't mean to make trouble. I'm on my way to the palace," he nodded his head towards the giant building right across from him, the view blocked off by the fanged man towering above him. He looked over to his left at one of his brethren, glancing down at the young Kazama only momentarily as if conveying a message to the other towering man. This time, another of the large beast men spoke.

"You're coming with us," he ordered, grabbing at Jin's arm. He didn't resist initially, but he was not about to allow himself to be taken away when he was only steps away from the palace stairs.

"I'm not going anywhere," he countered. "Leave me be. This is your only warning," he threatened, though he was not entirely sure he could make good on the threat. These beast men before him all looked physically powerful, and he wasn't sure what they could be capable of, considering their builds, from their intimidating faces to the strange bumps on their arms. He would make a reach for the device Raiden gave to him, but he didn't want to take the chance of being left vulnerable.

The one in front of him tensed his arms, and blades shot out of either forearm.

So that's what those were under their skin.

"Then you're head is coming with us," he chided, rearing his arms back to impale him right then and there.

Kazama was prepared for violence the moment those spikes shot out of the beast man's arm, and shot his palms upward at the incoming forearms, using his momentum to his own advantage. While he was stunned from the sudden defensive, Jin stepped forward with purpose, shooting his right fist forward, electricity surging visibly around his knuckles, thrusting it at his opponent's chest.

The force of it nearly floored the man instantly, dazing him while he groaned on the ground on his back.

The others glanced at each other questioningly at the strange bout of strength before all charged at Jin simultaneously. There was no way Kazama could defend against them all at the same time, so he instead chose to make his escape. He ducked quickly, avoiding a blur of swinging arms and possibly his own decapitation, while also shoulder tackling the nearest of his attackers, using him as a shield while sprinting out of the circle of would be murderers. Once he made enough space, he spun his shield around so that his back was facing him and focused his energy into his kick, the bio electricity surging through his foot as he thrust it at the man's back, making his form crash heavily into a nearby stall. He didn't turn to look at his handiwork, and instead made a break for it, hoping to lose his pursuers. Trying to fight them off there would be ill-advised, as he was not sure if they had allies that he could not spot. He glanced back to at least memorize where he was so he could find the palace again without too much effort.

As he ran, fatigue was beginning to creep up on him, and he glanced backwards again, noting that the rather large group of pursuers seemed to not slow down one bit, the lead one having backhanded a pedestrian who was to close to them as they rushed after him, the bystander's form careening into a stationary wheelbarrow with a yelp of pain.

With a prayer, he turned the next corner, coming upon an alleyway that seemed to be a dead end. However, he wasted no time scaling the wall by not breaking pace and grabbing onto a handhold in the form of a horizontal flagpole. With the muscles in his arms straining, and his breathing causing his chest to ache a bit, he managed to pull himself atop the flagpole and then over the wall, just before the horde turned the corner into the alleyway.

Jin kept his head low and his body crouched as he watched them slowly file out of the hallway and back into the busy street, beginning to argue amongst themselves.

He exhaled after a deep breath, looking to his left to see the still very much visible palace. It was still much taller than where he sat, as it still towered over him.

The device remained in his pocket, as he decided he would use it after reaching the library. Hopefully, he could find the information he would need on Shinnok and find a way to lift the devil curse. He wondered if finding his mother would be easier after he was finally cured.

He did not see the heeled boot connect with the side of his head. There was a sharp, intense pain before it faded as quickly as it came before he blacked out.


	4. Chapter 4

The carriage treaded along, moving just fast enough where the occupants wouldn't be jerked around. Kotal Khan, Outworld's present Emperor, was currently in a staring contest of sorts with the mercenary seated across from him. Kotal's personal advisor, D'Vorah, sat next to the merc, Kano, keeping an eye on the partially mechanical man, even though their business transactions have been smooth enough the past months.

"Twenty Million," Kotal stated with finality, his gaze unflinchingly locked onto Kano's single flesh eye as he announced this. The mercenary made a sound in between a grunt and a snort, not backing down.

"Emperor...What's the expression?" he asked rhetorically. He straightened his back as he leaned into the red furniture of the carriage. "S'not worth the dirt on my shoe?" D'Vorah's head shook in muted disapproval before speaking up.

"Kotal Khan has always bargained with you fairly, Kano," the Insect-like humanoid ventured, her tone matching that of someone giving a mild reprimand. Her voice was somewhat high pitched, but did not sound at all shrill, and every time she spoke, it sounded as if the muted beating wings of crickets were in sync with her pronunciations.

"Sure, sure," Kano replied quickly, not forgetting the rather beneficial business relationship between the Black Dragon and Outworld. "I'm just sayin'." He gestured with his hands as if pushing a marketing deal and raised them up in a pleading gesture.

"Upgraded weapons, my intel-and Poof!" His hands spread apart, simulating an explosion. "The long Outworld Civil War-done!" Kano looked rather proud of his explanation, resting his arm on his knee. "Might be nice to kick back a bit, eh?" he added conspiratorially.

Kotal Kahn watched him for several seconds, pondering the validity of the Mercenary's claim.

"You know Mileena's location," he observed, speaking deliberately. It wasn't a query, as Kano seemed awfully sure of himself. The man in question shrugged in mock humility.

"And her whole rebel army," he confirmed, leaning forward in his seat. "S'gotta be worth at least...fifty," he insisted.

Kotal's blue gaze glanced to the side in thought, though it would be hard to tell, as opaque as the Outworld Emperor's eyes were.

"I must attack immediately. End this conflict," he said after some thought. The advice of his father still sounded clearly in his mind. Every threat must be removed, no matter how small. "As you say, it drains us," the Khan admitted, pushing away the urge to exhale tiredly. Neither he nor his advisor noticed Kano's sidelong glance out the carriage window.

"Right," Kano said quickly, almost sounding distracted. "We gotta deal?" shooting his gaze back towards the imposing Osh-Tekk Emperor.

Kotal opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by the sound of a resounding crash.

D'vorah's head turned to her right and she rested an elbow on the furniture, glaring out the window questioningly.

"What is it, D'vorah?" Kotal inclined his head to the side to get a better look at what may be outside. The carriage had stopped suddenly, discussions having ceased merely moments ago.

"The emperor should not be concerned," D'vorah assured, rising from her seat. She inclined her head in a slight bow. "Accident ahead. This one will clear it." She stepped outside of the carriage, leaving the two men remaining inside.

* * *

Upon waking from an abrupt sleep he didn't remember falling into, a pained grunt escaped his lips as a stinging pain made itself known somewhere on side of his head. He motioned to rub his forehead to somehow soothe the pain, but found that he couldn't. His arms were bound behind him at the wrists and he belatedly realized a cloth was tied around his mouth, preventing him from raising his voice.

Besides the obvious pain on his head, he didn't feel seriously injured. It was obvious he'd been blindsided, but he wasn't sure exactly how it happened. He blinked his eyes harshly, hoping to get a clearer view of what was in front of him. It seemed to be stone of some sort. A wall. he moved his head around, noticing that he was facing a corner. From his view, he could tell he still remained on a roof, unsure if it was the same one he was knocked unconscious on. A small distance ahead of him, were warriors resembling those he retreated from some time ago. There were only five of them this time around, but they were crouching at the roof's edge along with some other individuals he'd never seen before.

To the far left of the small group was a man garbed in heavy armor, a rusted purple in color, that failed to reflect the Sun's rays. Next to him were two women, their backs to him, and then the two beast men he'd observed earlier.

"It is given, dearest Tanya," one of the women spoke -the one who wore purple- he noted, from the way she turned to the other female in yellow, nodding in approval. As the other woman stood up and began to walk in his direction, trailed by two of the grunts with blades imbedded in their arms, he relaxed his muscles, and closed his eyes, feigning unconsciousness. She walked past him with only a momentary glance his way while the two soldiers hadn't paid him any mind.

Sure that she was far enough away, he began to think of a way to escape the cloth binding his wrists, while keeping his eyes and ears open in case his unaware captors decided to do so much as turn around. He tried the most basic method, pulling his arms in opposite directions to tear the cloth with brute force, but the cloth was tied well. It wouldn't budge.

"False emperor!" the woman nearly shouted at the armored man, startling Jin. His head jerked towards the direction of the two captors. He exhaled through his nose, realizing they were still paying him no mind, seemingly arguing about something.

He looked about, trying to find any sort of sharp object, but could not spot one, at least not without getting himself killed. The purple clad woman that was crouched next to the armored man had a pair of Sais, hooked onto either side of her belt, but there was no way to safely grab them. His own manipulation of electricity was out of the question. He couldn't manipulate it in the same versatile way that he'd seen Raiden demonstrate and there was no way for him to reach the device that he could feel remained safely stuffed in his pocket.

He'd have to wait for a more opportune moment. Better to wait there then draw attention to himself with an escape attempt.

He didn't have to wait long however, since minutes later, a spiral of flame seemed to simply _appear _out of thin air, and a tall figure stepped forth from it, his back facing him. The flames then dissipated seconds afterwards. Jin found the figure to look familiar somehow. The headdress and the gear on his legs encouraging some sort of Deja Vu.

"Mileena," the vaguely familiar figure drawled, blades already held in either hand.

Jin's captors turned around quickly and stood up in surprise. Both the man and woman wore gear that concealed the lower halves of their faces.

"Kano was to kill you, miserable snake!" she hissed, pointing at the imposing figure before shouting a command in some alien language, turning her glare momentarily at the look alike grunts.

The warriors with the elongated teeth seemed to understand the command as they all rushed towards the fighter with the headdress, intending to impale him.

The huge man wasted no time in attacking, and quite savagely, somehow ripping the first attackers arm off without hesitation and casting it aside, before defending himself against the next.

That same severed arm landed inches away from his foot, making Jin want to curl his lip in disgust at the sight. However, this was the opportunity he was waiting for, and wasted no time in inching towards the still extended blade that protruded from the severed limb. His breathing quickened as he attempted to align his wrists behind the blade quickly, looking up to see the large man having dispatched the warriors and was currently at a stand off with the woman.

He finally got a handhold on the blade and managed to begin cutting the cloth, realizing the blade was much sharper than it looked, as it began to rip right through the fabric with almost no applied pressure.

His arms were free, and now he could effect his escape. The only route away however, was through the three figures staring each other down. Quickly, he got up, planning to dash right past them.

He paused though, as one of those warriors that the man with the headdress had been fighting made a lunge for him. Jin swung his left arm, batting away the incoming blade arm, and did the same with his other arm to avoid the second blade. He then punched forward with his free hand towards the aggressor's chest, causing him to spin once on his feet as he collapsed on the roof's surface.

This caught the attention of the purple armored man, who raised his arms in an aggressive stance.

"Impressive, to have freed yourself so quickly," the man appraised, his voice almost unnaturally baritone.

"Who are you? Why did you attack me?" Jin demanded, entering into his Kazama Style Stance, both his hands balled into fists as he held them in front of him.

"You either ignorant or stupid," the armored man retorted, dashing toward him.

Jin kept his stance loose, ready to counterattack. His opponent first closed in with a leaping kick, aimed straight for his head. Jin blocked quickly and harshly, hoping to catch him off guard and follow up with a straight punch, but it was blocked by the armored man's other foot, making him leap backwards with the added momentum from Jin's fist.

Almost immediately, Jin's opponent leaped forward, yet again, but this time dropping low for a sweep kick, in an attempt to catch him off guard. Jin sidestepped then chambered his leg and shot it out in a sidekick, which the armored man blocked with a parry, before backpedaling a bit to create some distance.

"I sense Shinnok's magic within you," he stated, slowly pacing back and forth, waiting for the right moment to strike. Apparently, this one knew of Shinnok. Jin was getting a bit annoyed, as his whole reason for being there in the market place was being stalled by these strange characters. A surprised scream, distinctly feminine, drew their attention away from each other, and the woman fighting the man in the headdress was no longer on the roof.

"Rain," the taller man said, turning his attention to him.

The armored man, Rain, glanced between Jin and the one who'd spoken, before thrusting his hand towards Kazama. Jin flinched, not understanding the strange movement, before lightning struck directly in front of him, knocking him off his feet and over the roof.


End file.
